Sewing-machine feeding mechanism



Aurg 19, 1930. H. M. s'rEPHENsoN 1,773,638

SEWING MGHINE FEEDING `MECHNISI Inventor-z Hugh M. Stephenson,

bg His Attorney.

Aug.. 19, A1930- H. M. s'nzwHENsoN 1,773,538

SEWING MACHINE FEEDING MECHANISH Filed June 9, 1927 2 sheets-sheet 2 Ell i,

-w-'/lf l VY I o Inventor:

//Z/ Hugh M. Stephenson,

- His Attorney.

Patented Aug. 19,` 1930 7 paire-DI srArE-s rATENr ortica v- HUGH M. sTEPH'ENsoN, or FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, AssIGNoR'roGE'N Y` COMPANY, A CORPORATION or NEW YORK ERAL ELECTRIC vsEvi/71Ncf-ii/[AcQHiNF ,FEEDING ivrncHANrsM Applicatitn med June 9, 1927. serialv N9. 197,584.v

My invention relates `to-sewing machines, and more particularlyto feeding mechanisms therefor.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved feeding mechanism'including an .oscillatory shaft' for 'transmitting motion from a feed actuatingand'adjustingmeans to the feed-dog of the feeding mechanism in, which the adjusting Vmeans is compactly arle ranged so that it can be readily enclosed in order to avoid noisy operation of the machine and, if desired,"`to retain oil for lubrication of the moving parts therein.'V kA further object ofmy invention is to provide a feeding meclianismwhi'ch is-adjustable for reversing-"the direction of 'feed of vthe mech anism and forfvarying the l'engthof the stitch formed bythe machine in sewingvfor- Ward'or backward. l My invention will be moreV fully set'fort'h in the followingy description` referring to the accompanying drawings,inv which Fig. lis a side elevation of a sewing vmachine embodying my inventionpartly broken awaytomore clearly illustrate' the construction; Fig'. 2 is a plan viewy of thev underneath portion 'of the bed-platel of the structure shown in Fig. 1,

broken away in part;.Fig. 3fis an end elevation of the structure shown inFigl looking toward the end-of the arm of the machine;

Fig. 4'is Aar sectionalview approximately on the line 4 4 of'Fig. 1 ;'Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the feeding mechanism, showing the. feed-dog bar insits 'relation to theipresserfoot and the bed-plate ofthe sewinglmachine Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse section'of the feed adjusting and actuating` means shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the arm ucsd-'for transmitting motion from` the oscillating shaft tolthe feed-dog'ba'r show? ing the latter in its lowermost position; and Fig. 8 is a view of the" parts shown in Fig. 7 ina position in which the feedfdog bar is'in its uppermost position.V

Referring toV thedrawing, thesewing machine illustrated includes a bed-plate 10 from which extends anoverhanging arm 11 for supporting the needle bar12 ,presserfoot 13, take-up 14 and itsy actuating cam 15. The formxof take-:up illustrated is not part of the present invention, but isy of the same genl Y' eral construction as that described and claimed in my application, Serial No. 205,480 filed July 13, 1927. As illustrated in Fig. 3

the bobbin cage 'lfisv 'retained within the krotary loop taker 17 below the bed-plate. 10,

and these parts cooperating with the needle' bar, presser-foot and the feeding mechanism formthe usual lock stitches in ordinary operation of the machine. The machine is drivenby an electric motor 50 which is secured underneath the bed-plate 10 for drivel ing an actuating shaft 55. kThe motor` is con-vr nected through a. coupling 51 to a pinionl 52 which drives a gear `53 supported on a vertical shaft 54 extending above thetop of the machine to serveas a bobbin Winder described and claimed inrmy application Serial No.

200,726vfiled June 22, 1927. A'lo'op-taker actuating shaft 55l isdriven by the shaft 54 by means of gears 56 and 57 secured to theV shafts 54' and 55 respectively. The needle bar and take-up mechanisms are driven by the horizontal and vertical shafts 59 and 28,the latter being connected tothe shaft 55 vby means ofk gears V55fiand The lower end of the shaft 28 rotates a cam 27. which operates my improved reversible feeding mech anism Vwhich will be hereinaftermore fully described. f I l The reversible feeding `mechanism includes the usual form of four-motion feed-dog 18 which is supported underneath the bed-plate 10, and which is reciprocated'over a range of movement corresponding to the length of the vstitch formed by the machine; In 'feeding the material at the en'd ofits stroke 'adjacent y the tip` ofthe presser-foot 13 slightly raising the latter, `moves in the direction of feed toward the presser bar 132 to the end ofj'its stroke after which it is lowered out of engagement with the materialbeingsewn, retracted in its lowered position tothe other end of the stroke, and is again raisedf against the material underzthe presser-foot 13.

@The foregoing described movement of the feed-dog is the same as that generally. employed in machines of this character, and in accordance with my invention this movement is produced by the following described mechanism. The feed-dog 18 is connected to the feed-dog bar 19 which is pivotally supported from an extension on the bed-plate of the machine at 2Oa by means of the links 20. The other end of the feed-dog bar is supported on an arm 21 which is fixed on a shaft 22 supported4 from the bed-plate in bearings 23 and 211. The shaft 22 is longitudinally reciprocated in its bearings which moves the arm 21 transversely back and forth under the end of the feed-dog bar 19 for raising and lowering the latter. The movement of the arm 21 under the end of the feed-dog bar raises and lowers the latter by the action of a ball 25 carried in recesses between them. In this construction, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, the feed-dog bar is provided with a recess 19 which is deeper at one portion than another, and the end of the arm 21 is provided with a recess 21a which is also deeper at one portion than another. These recesses areformed so that when their center lines are in vertical alignment, the deeper portion of one recess is opposite the shallower portion of the other. The ball 25, or any other suitable element, is carried between the end of the arm 21 and the feed-dog bar 19 in these recesses, and is retained in place by a spring 26 which draws the feed-dog bar 19 toward the end of the arm 21. When the arm 21 is shifted relative to the feed-dog bar 19 by the shaft22 into a position in which the deeper portion of the recesses 19@ and 21a are in vertical alignment, as shown in Fig. 7 theball 25 is retained in the deeper portion of these recesses by the spring 26, and the feed-dog bar 19 occupies its lowermost position causing the feed-dog' 18 to occupy its lowermost position out of engagement with the-material under the presser-foot 13. On the other hand when the arm 21 is shifted by the shaft 22 relative to the feed-dog bar 19 from the position shown in Fig. 7 to that shown in Fig. 8 the shallower portions of the recesses 19"1 and 21a are brought intovertical alignment, the ball 25 is forced into these portions of the recesses, and raises the feeddog bar 19 to its uppermost position which moves the feed-dog 18 into engagement with the'material under the presser-foot 13 slightly raising the latter. The sides of the re- A cesses'19n Vand 21l closely engage theball 25 throughout the range of transverse movement of the arm 21 relative to the end of the feeddog bar 19 so that any oscillation of the shaft 22 about its axis will be'transmitted through the arm 21 and ball 25'to reciprocate the feeddog bar without any movement of the arm 21 longitudinally relative to the feed-dog bar 19. In order to obtain thev requiredsequence olf-movement of the feed-dog for feeding the material being sewn under thepresser-foot, the shaft'22-is actuated in the following man- .and slightly raises the latter. The arm 21 is then turned, by rocking of the shaft 22 toward the needle bar 12, until the feed-dog is at the end of its stroke adjacent the presserbar 18a after which the arm 21 is moved transversely relative to the feed-dog bar 19 by movingr the shaft 22 longitudinally away from the feed-dog bar to the position shown in Fig. 7, which lowers the feed-dog 18 out of engagement with the material being sewn. The arm 21 is then turned away from the needle bar 12 by rocking the shaft 22, which moves the feed-dog 18 in this lowered position to its initial position when it is again raised by movement of the arm 21 transversely relative to the feed-dog bar 19.

The necessary order of rocking and longitudinal movement of the shaft 22 for actuating the feed-dog'lS, is obtained by the following described mechanism illustrated most clearly in Figr which is supported underneath the bed-plate lO-adjacent the shaft 22 and which is enclosed by the walls 10a and a Vplate 10b. `A cam 27 is driven by a vertical .shaft 22, thirdly movement transversely of the Vshaft 22 toward the shaft 28, and then `fourthly movement longitudinally of the shaft 22to its initial position. A slot 30 is formed in the bar 29 for guiding it during its movement, under the action of the cam 27. The bar 29 is also guided by a collar 31 and rocker arm 82 which are fixed on the shaft 22 in contact with thebar 29 and disposed on opposite sides thereof. In addition to guiding the bar 29 the collar 31 and rocker arm 32 also transmit to the shaft any movement ofthe bar in either direction longitudinally of the shaft. The transverse' movement of the bar 29 relative to the shaft 22 is transmitted to an oscillatory member 34 by a roller 85 carriedby the bar and slidably fitting in a groove 36 in the oscillatory member which causes thelatter to turn on its pivotal support 37. Turning of the oscillatory member rocks shaft 22 throughA a link 38 having a roller 39 on one end which isengaged by the sides of a groove 40 extending the entire length of the oscillatory member and a shaft 41 connected to thelink 38 and supported on rocker arms 32 and 33 which are secured to they shaft 22 in spaced relation to eachother to permit adjustment of the link 38. In this construction a link 38 can be. adjusted by meansof guide pin 43, which extends into the groove 38a in the link 38. The guide pin 43 also extends through a slot 42 which is parallel to the shaft 22 and is provided with a lock vnut 43a for retaining the link 38 in its position of adjustment corresponding to vthe length of the stitch to be formed by the machine. y j

`The length of thek stitch formed can be adjusted by loosening the'lock nut 43a and shifting thelink 38 on'the shaft 41 relative to the oscillatoryV member 34. The length of the stitch `formed by the machine is decreased as the link 38 isbrought nearer thev pivotal support 37 because the movement of. the oscillatory member 34 reciprocates the link 38 through a shorter range of movement and correspondingly decreases the oscillation of the shaft 22so that the range of reciprocation .of the feed-dog 18 byV the shaft `22 through the arm 21 and the 'feed-dog" bar-'19 will be correspondingly lessened. 'When the link 38 is in its mid-position of adjustment the mechanism will not "feed becausethe oscillation ofthe member 34 will not reciprocate the link 38. The position of the link 38' shown in Fig. 5 isn for sewing forwardly, that is, from the tip of-the presser-'foot 13 toward the presser-bar 13a as shown in Fig. 5' or from the left to right `of the machine as shown in Fig. 3. If itis desired to reverse the direction of sewing, the' link 38 is'shifted rela-tive to the member34 to 'a' 'positionon the other sidevof itsypivotal support-37 from that shown in Fig. 5 which changes the time relation between the movement of th'ebar 29 and the feed-dog 18'. In this position of adjustment when the bar29- `is in its eXtreme position away from the shaft 28, the link 38,

being on the same side of the pivotal support.

37, will cause the shaft 22 to occupy a position at the opposite extreme of its oscillatory movement to 'that which it lwould 'occupy if the link 38 were on the other side of the piv-V otal support 37 as shown in Fig. 5. As the' range of reciprocatory movementV ofthe feed# dogis dependent upon the oscillation of the shaftV 22, as above explained', the changing of the. time relation between the. movement of the bar 29 and theoscillation of the shaft 22 will also change the time relationbetween the movement of the feed-dog'18 andthe move` ment of the bar 29, andl consequently the feeddog will move in its raised position under the presser-foot in the opposite direction to that which it would move if the link 38 were in the position shown in Fig. 5'so that the directionf of'feed is reversed. Itwill be noted that the adjustment of the link 38 does not affect the longitudinal reciprocation of the shaft 22so that the time relation of the longitudinal movement of the shaft 22r`elative to the rotation of thek shaft 28 and the vcam 27 are not changed, so that the only affect of adjusting the position' of the karm 38 is to vary the length of the stitch formed by the machine or to reverse t-he ydirection of feed of the mechanism.

ln operation of the sewing machine the electricfmotor drives the loop-taker shaftv through the gears r52, 53, 56 and 57 which revolves theloop-taker. 17ffor pulling` the thread from the needle around the bobbin The needle bar cage in the usual manner. 12 and the take-up 14 are actuated through shafts 59 and 28 which are driven at half the speed of the loop-taker shaft 55 bythe connection through gears 55a and 58. During the rotation of the loop-taker 17, and the operation of .the needle bar 12' and the takeup 14'tl1rough` the mechanisms above re.-

ft'erred to, the material being lsewn is fed under thepresser-foot 13 in the following manner. The shaft 28 rotates the cam 27 in the square opening 29? which forces the bar 29 transversely of the shaft 22 toward the 'shaft 2 8 to the eXtreme of its range of movement thereby rockingvthe shaft `22 through the oscilla'- tory member 3 4, link 38, Shaft 41 and rocker arms 32 and! 33so that the arm 21 on the end of the shaft 22 will belmoved to the limit of its rangey of movement ina direction away from the tip-of thel presser-foot 13.`r As this movement takes place the arm 21 will be in a transverse relation to the feed-dogbar 19 shown in Fig. 7 so that the -latter'will be in its lowermost position and the` feed-,dog will be out of engagement with the material under the presser-foot. When the feed-dog 18 reaches the end of its range of movementthe cam 27 willthen-force' the shaftV 22 longitudinally in its bearings toward thefeeddog bar 19 by its action on the bar 29 .which istV retained between the collarl 31and the rocker arm 32.

versely of the feed-dog bar 19and-cause. the ball 25 to raise'the feed-dog bar 19 and bring the feed-dog 18 into engagement with the inacluding the oscillatory member 34, the linkV 38, shaft 41 and rocker arms 32 and 33. vThe rocking of the shaft 22 in this direction will This longitudinal movement of theL shaft 22 will cause the arm 21 to move trans# canse 1the feed-dog 18 tojmove under the pre'sserefoot, 13 from its extreme position adjacent the tip of the presser-foot toward the other eXtreme of its range of movement adjacent the presser-bar 13a which will feed the material under the needle in4 thev usual manner.

Then ythe member 29 hasl reached the end of versely of the shaft 22 toward the shaft 28 'which will move the feed-dog 18 in its lowered position to the other extreme of its movement bv imparting a rocking motion to the shaft 22 through the oscillatory member 34, linkV 38, shaft 41, and rocker arms 32' and 33 which will move the feed-dog by its connection thereto through the arm 21, ball 25 and feed-dog bar 19. When the bar 29 has reached the end of its range of movement in this direction the cam 27 will move the shaft longitudinally toward the feed-dog bar 19 so that the arm 21 will be moved to a position relative to the feed-dog bar 19 shown in Fig. S and again raise the feed-dog 13 into engagement with the material under the presser-foot. This feeding operation will continue during the operation of the machine and is maintained in proper time relation with the action of the needle bar, the takeup, -and the loop-taker through the mechanical connection to the common driving shaft 55 previously described. If it should then be desired to change the length of the stitch formed by the machine the lock-nut 43a is loosened and the bar 38 thereby shifted along the shaft 41 to a position corresponding to the-length of stitch required. If it is desired to reverse the direction of feeding of the machine so as to sew backward, as may Dbe desired in some instances, for example in ornamental sewing, the bar 38 is shifted longitudinally ofthe oscillatory member 34 and the shaft 41 to a position on the opposite side of the pivotalsupport 37 to that in which it is shown in Fig. '5, the length of stitch formed in sewing in the reverse direction being determined by the displacement of the link 3S away from the pivotal support 37 which is indicated by graduations 42a adjacent the clot 42. The guide pin 43'can be readily shifted by means of the lock-nut 43a so that the direction -of sewing can be reversed without the necessity of removing the material being sewn from the machine or if desired without stopping the machine.

Although I have shown my improved feeding mechanism in` connection witha rotary lock-stitch sewing machine, it will be apparent that it may readily be applied to a sewing machine employing any other cooperating stitch forming mechanism than that herein disclosed, Many modifications of my improved feeding mechanism will occur to those skilled in the art, and I desire it to be understood that my invention is not limited to the particular arrangement shown and described, and that I intend in the appended claims to cover all modifications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a sewing machine feeding mechanism, the combination of a feed-dog, a shaft supported adjacent said feed-dog, means for oscillating said shaft about an axis extending longitudinally thereof and'for longitudinally reciprocating said shaft, and means for reciprocating said feed-dog in response to the oscillation of said shaftand for raising and lowering said feed-dog in response to longitudinal reciprocation of said shaft.

2. In a sewing machine feeding mechanism, thecombination of a feed-dog bar, a shaft supported adjacent said feed-dog bar, means for oscillating said shaft about an axis extending longitudinally thereof and for longitudinally reciprocating said'shaft, means for 'supporting said bar at one end thereof, andv means forsupporting said bar at the other end thereof including means for're'ciprocating said feed-dog bar in response to the oscillation of said shaft and for raising and lowering said feed-dog bar in response to longitudinal reciprocation ofsaid shaft.

3. In a sewing machine feeding mechanism, the combination of a feed-dog, a shaft supported adjacent said feed-dog, means for oscillating said shaft about an axis extending longitudinallythereof, means for reciprocating said shaft longitudinally thereof, means for reciprocating said feed-dog in response to the oscillation 'of said shaft and for raising and lowering said feed-dog in response to longitudinal reciprocation of said shaft, said last mentioned means including an arm fixed on-said shaft extending adjacent said feeddog, said arm having a recess therein deeper at one portion than another, means movable with said feed-dog having a like recess therein opening toward the recess in said arm, the deeperportion of said recess being opposite the shallower portion of the other when the center lines of said recesses are in alignment, and a member ,between said arm and the said meansmovable with said feed-dog extending into said recesses for transmitting movement from said arm to reciprocate and vraise and lower said Yfeed-dog.

4. In a sewing machine feeding mechanism, the combination of a feed-dog, a shaft supported adjacent said feed-dog, means for longitudinally reciprocating said shaft, an arm fixed on said shaft extending toward said feed-dog, said `arm having a recess therein deeper at one portion than another, means movable with said feed-dog having a like recess therein opening toward the recess in said arm,`the deeper portion of each said recesses being opposite the shallower portion of the i 60 Y nism, the combination of a feed-dog, a shaft other when the center lines of the recesses are 1n alignment, and a kmember carried 1n said recesses between said arm and said means movable with said feed-dog for transmittingV movement thereto from the former to raise and lower the latter in response to longitudinal reciprocation of said shaft.

5. In a sewing machine feeding mechanism, v

the combination of a feed-dog, a shaft supported adjacent said feed-dog, means for oscillating said shaft about an axis extending` longitudinally thereof, an arm fixed on said shaft extending toward said feed-dog, said arm having a recess therein, means movable with said feed-dog having a like recess therein opening towardthe recess in said arm, and Y a Vmember carried in `said' recesses for transmitting movement from said arm to said feeddog for reciprocating the latter in response to oscillation of said shaft over a range of movefeed-dog over a range of movement dependent upon-the amplitude of the oscillatory movement of said shaft, and means .for raisino' and lowering said feed-dog in response to longitudinal reciprocation of said shaft.v

7. In a sewingy machine' feeding mechanism, thecombination of afeed-dog, a shaft supported adjacent said feed-dog, a rotatable element supported adjacent said shaft, means for transmitting .motion from said rotatable element to said shaft for oscillating the same` about an'axis extending longitudinally thereof and for longitudinally reciprocating thel same including means for varying the amplitude of the oscillatory movement of said shaft and the time relation between the motionv of said movable element and the oscillatory movement of said shaftin order to provide. fcradjustment ofthe feed and reversal of j the direction of feed of said mechainsm, and

means for reciprocating said feed-dog over a range of movement dependent upon the amplitude of theV oscillatory movement of said shaft including means for raising and lowering said feed-dog in response to longitudinal Lreciprocation of said shaft.

8. In a sewing machine feeding mechasupported adjacent said feed-dog, an oscillatory member supported adjacent said shaft, a pivotal support for said member having kits axis extending transversely of said shaft,

Y ymeans *forl oscillating said member onf` said pivotalsupport, 'and means actuated by said member for o'scillatiii'g said sh'a'ft about an axis *extending longitudinallythereof. 1

l9:In reversible sewingv machine feeding mechanism, the? combination .of a feed-dog, means Vincluding 1 an. oscillatory shaft fori actua'ting said feed-dog, an 'oscillatory 'member arranged substantially parallel to sai'dloscillatory sh'aft,2 means for supporting isaidy member .for oscilla-tiene' about', its ip mid-por,- tion;on anfaxis transverse to said oscillatory shaft', means'including. a-verti'cal shaft for oscillatingfsaidimember, 'and means actuated by i said memberl for oscillating said oscillatory shaft, means for `securing said last mentioned meansat different distances on each side of the lmid-portion of said member for providing adjustment of .the amplitude of the oscillations of saidv shaft and' o f the time relation between the Imovement ofi 'said oscillatorymember and the movement of sai'd oscillatory shaftrin orderto vary thelength of fas stitch formed by ytlie'machine' in either direction of feedand to reverse the direction of feed ofsaid mechanism.4 j j v Y lO.y In a sewingmachine feedinginechanism,'the combination ofia feed-dog, means foractuating said feed-dogliaving an oscillatory and flongitudinally Ireciprocat'able shaft, an oscillatory member,`means for supporting said member, means for oscillating said `member and longitudinallyl reciprocating saidshaft, and means actuated by said oscillatory.4 member for oscillating said shaft about an axisf` extendingl` longitudinally thereof.A j p .j y 611.2 a. sewing machine feeding mechanism, v.the combination j of ia' feed-dog llea'ns including '-any oscillatory and' longituc'liiially reciprocatable shaft for actuating saidfeeddog,1a`n oscillatory memberfmeans for sup- "ics portingf'saidmember for oscillation about.

its; mid-portion," means for oscillating ysaid member-about an axis extending transversely of said member, meansfor .longitudinally reciprocating jsaid shaft; and means actuated by saidV member for 'oscillating' said shaft; said A last /meiitigonedfmeails being" adaptedto;engagesaid-member at different 7 distances o'n leach' side of its 'mid-portion for providing adjustment of 4the oscillatory lation betw nthfel movement`4 of said oscillatory-nemleierf andthe movement of said oscillatory shaft in order to vary the length ofstitch formed by the machine ineither direction of feed and to'freverse the kdirection *of feed ofsaid mechanism. l v.12. In a reversible sewing machine feeding mechanism, the combination of a feedsaid shaft" and the ,timef re-Y dog" means nClUdllg an oscillatory and 1011-" gitudinally reciprocatable shaft for actuat- 1 ing said feed-dog, a bar extending trans-- versely of said shaft, means on said shaft preventing movement of said bar longitudinally relative thereto and for guiding said bar for movement transversely of said shaft,

means engaging said bar for reciprocating the same transversely of said shaft and reciprocating said shaft longitudinally, an oscillatory member, means for pivotally supporting said member adjacent its mid-portion, said bar engaging said member for oscillating the latter, means for transmltting the oscillatory movement of said member to j said shaft for oscillating the same, said last mentioned means being adapted to -engage said member at a distance at either side of its mid-portion forv providing adjustment of the oscillatory movement of said shaft and of the-time relation between the movement of said oscillatory member and the movement of said oscillatory shaft in order v to vary the length of stitch formed by the machine -in either direction of feed and to reversethe direction of fed of the mechamsm.

i l13. In a `sewing machine stitch formingA mechanism, the combination of'a feed-dog, means includingv an ,oscillatory and longitudnally reciprocatable shaft for actuating said feed-dog, a bar extending transversely of said shaft, means on said shaft preventing movement of said bar longitudinally of said shaft and guiding the same for movement transversely thereof, means engaging said bar for reciprocating the same transversely of said shaft and reciprocating said shaft Y longitudinally, an oscillatory member, means for pivotally supporting said member ad'-V jacent its mid-portion, said bar engaging saldmember for oscillating the same,.means forftransmitting the oscillatory movement of said member to said shaft for oscillating the same, said last mentioned means being adapted to engage said member at a distance from said pivotal supporting means at either side'thereof for providing adjustment of the oscillatory mo'vementof said shaft and of the time relation between the move'- ment of4 said oscillatory member and the movement of said oscillatory shaft in order to carry the length of, stitch formed by the machine in either direction of'feed and to reverse thedirection of feedf of the mecha- Y nism. i j

, Invvltnessrvvhereof, I have hereunto set vmy hand this A6th `day of June, 1927.

HUGH M. STEPHENSON. 

